Machine for lacing shoe uppers



. Nov. 10, 1931. H. D. ELLIOTT MACHINE FOR LACING SHOE UPPERS Filed June 30, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet l mfizess @257 "I 454/ NOV. 10, 1931. ELLIOTT 1,831,348

MACHINE FR LACING SHOE UPPERS Filed June 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 10, 1931. H. D. ELLIOTT MACHINE FOR LACING SHOE UPPERS Filed June 30, 1928 7 Sheets-$heet 5 Nov. 10, 1931. H. D. ELLIOTT 1,831,348

MACHINE FOR LAGING SHOE UPPERS Filed June so,- 1928 7' Sheets-Sheet 4 Nov. 10, 1931. H. D. ELLIOTT MACHINE FOR LACING SHOE UPPERS Filed June 30, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov.'10, 1931. I ELL 1,831,34

MACHINE FOR LACING SHOE UPPERS Filed June 30, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Nov. 10, 1931. H. D. ELUQTT MACHINE FOR LACING SHOE UPPERS Filed'Juhe so, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 fivehfar Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PAT sur- OFFICE HARRY D. ELLIOTT, or BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO; UNITED flsnon MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY MACHINE FOR LACING SHOE orrER-s Application filed June 30,

required, and at the same time suiiiciently sturdy to stand the strains put upon it by the lasting operation and other subsequent handling.

Ono ob ect of the present invention is to provide a new and improved machine for lacing shoe uppers preparatory to the lasting operation which will form a particularly strong lacing of the required length in a reliable and efiicient manner.

lu lacing machines of this description, as ordinarily constructed, which are adapted to tie a knot in the two ends of the lacing cord. difficulty is encountered in tying the knot in such a manner as to form a short lacing. due partly to the necessityof drawing a certain amount of cord from the work side of the knotter in forming the knot, and partly to the tendency of the knot to slip to some extent as it is tightened with a resulting inaccuracy in length of the lacing formed. 7 A further object of the invention is, therefore, to provide in a lacing machine mechanism for fastening the ends of the lacing cord together which will permit the ends of the cord to be securely fastened at a point close to the work to form short lacings.

stood by one skilled in the art from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1

' is a view in right side elevation of a machine for lacing shoe'uppers embodying the several features of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of. the ma- 1928. Serial No. 289,571.

chine; Fig. 3 is avsectiona'l plan View taken on the line 33 of- Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sec tional plan view of the machinetaken on the line 4l--4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an 'enlargedview of a portion of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1 after the work has been inserted and clamped in place in the machine; Fig. 6 is a detail plan view taken on the-line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. .7 is a detail view in side elevation partly in section of the cord carrying spindle and the fastener mechanism; Fig.28 is a detail plan view ofthe fastener mechanism; Fig. 9 is a detail plan view of the mechanism for moving the spindles towards and away from each other; Figs. 10 to 16 inclusive are somewhat diagrammatic views of the cord handling devices illustrating various stages in the operation of forming a lacing; Figs. 17 and 18 are detail plan viewsof the fastener mechanism with the parts in the positions corresponding to Figs. 14 and respectively; Fig. 19 is a detail perspective view of the fastener inechanism; F igQ 20 is a detail View of the strip of metallic fasteners used in the machine; Fig. 21 is a detail plan view of the fastener mechanism with the parts in the positions corresponding to Fig. 16; and Fi s. 22 and 23 are detail plan views of the fastener mechanismv with the parts in the positions corresponding to Figs. 10 and 11 respectively. 7 f

In the form of the invention illustrated, individual lacings are formed to connect. the series of pairs of eyelets by passing lacing cords simultaneously through each pair of eyelets, cutting the cords, drawing the ends together, and then applying metallic fasteners to the cords to secure the two ends of each cord together. V

The devices for thus forming the individual lacings by which the eyelets are fastenedtogether comprise a series of cord carrying spindles which are arranged to pass a series of cords through the eyelets as the upper is placed on the spindles by the operator'together with means for severing the lacing of metallic fasteners which are fed into the machine in strip form and are cut off and applied as needed by means of fastener mechanisms more fully to be described.

The machine herein disclosed as embodying the present invention is similar in many respects to that disclosed in the application of Enslin, Serial No. 13,299, filed March 5, 1925, and comprises the cord carrying spindles indicated at 20, outer gripper jaws 22 and 24 which grip the ends of the cords and draw the cords through the spindles and eyelets as the spindles withdraw from the eyelets, the inner gripper jaws 26 and 28 and knife 30 which grip and sever the cords on the inner sides of the eyelets, a work holder 32 which positions the work after the spindles have withdrawn, and spring clamps 34 which are adapted to swing down into position to clamp the work securely to the work holder 32.

Cooperating with these parts is a series of fastener devices which are mounted with the spindles in a series of supporting blocks 35. These devices apply metallic fasteners to secure the ends of the cords together, and

comprise each a bar 36 which is providedv with a fastener applying head 38 offset above the bar and having an open sided recess to receive the fastener and the two ends of the lacing cord retained by the grippers. The bars 36 are mounted to slide in the blocks to permit the fastener applying heads 38 to be retracted and advanced into operating position while the cords are forced to one side upon an inclined portion 37 of the head 38 and are then permitted to snap into the recess 39. The forward end of the recess 39 within which the fastener and the lacing cord are held is rounded to form an anvil for clinching the fastener about the cord ends and cooperates with a corresponding surface 40 of the hammer 42 which is formed on the forward end of a bar 44 overlying the bar 36. A narrow ledge 46 formed along the lower edge of the recess in the head portion 38 of the fastener mechanism serves to position the fastener with relation to the anvil. The open side of the recess 39 is closed during the clinching operation by means of a bar 48 which is mounted in a recessed portion 50 of the bar 36 and is in turn provided with a ledge 52 which underlies the hammer 42 and also forms a continuation of the ledge 46 to support the fastener during the clinching operation. The bar 48 is provided at its rear end with a laterally extending portion 54 which is adapted'to ride in a corresponding recess 56 in the bar 44 which is sufliciently large to permit a certain amount of play between the two bars. A spring pressed plunger 58 seated in the bar 44 tends to hold the bar 48 in an advanced position with relation to the hammer bar 44.

A strip of metallic fasteners indicated at 60 is fed from a source of supply to each of the fastener units through a guide 62 mounted on the upper side of the block 35 in which the spindle and the fastener unit are mounted. The strip of fasteners passes through a squ hole 64in t 1e guide 62 and then past an anvil plate 65 (see Figs. 11 and 23) set into the block 35 against which a knife 66 operates to sever one fastener from the strip.

. The knife 66 is formed on the upper forward edge of a bar 68 w iich overlies the bars 36 and 44 and forms a part of the fastener applying unit. A recess 70 is cut in the under side of the bar 68 at'its forward end and is utilized to bend over the portion of the fastener projecting above-the bars 36 and to clamp the ends of the cord securely in the fastener.

lVhen the machine is at rest between lace inserting cycles, the spindles with the ends of the cords projecting from the forward ends stand in the position indicated in Fi 1, so that the operator may readily pass the pairs of eyelets to be secured together over the spindles. After the operator has placed the upper on spindles, the machine is started and the clamping meml ers 3411110 10 into posi tion to clamp the work securely against the work holder'32 as illustrated in Fig. 5, and the outer gripper jaws 22 and 24 move down into position to take the ends of the cords held by the spindles as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. The gripper jaws 22 and 24 now seize the projecting ends of the cords and then move up to the position indicated in Fig. 10 while the spindles 20 withdraw from the eyelets, thus drawing sufhcient cord throngl each spindle to form the corresponding lacingloop. The work holder also moves down to position the eyelets with relation to the fastener devices. As the spindles complete their rearward movement, the upper jaws 26 of the inner gripper move downward into engagement with the lower jaw 28 to sever the cords and hold the ends between the inner sides of the eyelets and the ends of the spindles as illustrated in Fi g. 12, The jaws now move upward to the position indi *ated in Fig. 13, while the outer jaws 22 and 24 meanwhile move ClO\ *nward so that the length of the cord inside and outside the eyel equalized and the ends of the (Old are brought together preparatory to the fastening operation. 4

At the point in the cycle of the lacing inserting operation indicated by Fig. 3whe the two ends of the lacing cord have been brought together, the fastener inserting mechanism is brought into operation. The knife 66 moves forward to sever a fastener which has previously been fed into position in the head portion 38 from the strip. The head 38 new advances to bring the two ends of the'cord into the recess formed between the anvil and the hammer 42 as shown in lill secure the two ends of the cord, the parts at this point in the operation being in the positions illustrated in Figs. 16 and 21-. The bar 48 and the hammer 42 are now retracted to release the' fastener and permit the work to be withdrawn from the machine.

Each strip of metallic fasteners is advanced as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, to bring a new fastener into position in the head portion 38 with the lower edge of the fastener in contact with the ledge 46 by means of a mechanism comprising a feed plate 74 which has its center portion cut away and extends around the series of fastener strips and their guides. A rearwardly extending portion of the plate indicated at 76 is adapted to slide in ways 78 to bring the feed plate into and out of contact with the strip of fasteners. In order to impart a vertical movement to the plate 74 to feed the strip, the ways 78 are formed in a bracket 80 which is loosely sleeved to a rock shaft 81 carried at each end in thebearings 82 and is adapted to be oscillated by means of an arm 84 formed on the bracket 80. The arm 84 is actuated through connections which include a link 86 secured at its other end to one arm of a bell crank lever 88 which is loosely mounted on apivot shaft 90 and carries on its free arm a cam roll 92 adapted to engage with a cam on the cam shaft 94. The feed plate 74 is given a reciprocating movement to bring it into and out of engagement with the fastener strips through connections which include a link 96 which is provided at one end with a reduced portion adapted to extend through a slot 97 formed in'the upturned rear end of the slide 76 and at its other end is connected to one arm of a bell crank lever 98. The lever 98 is in turn connected by means of a link 100 to one arm of the cam lever 102 which carries a cam roll 104 adapted to engage with a cam on the cam shaft 94. In order to insure that the feed plate- 7 4 is brought into feeding contact with the fastener strips 60 upon its retracting movement without at the same time running risk of injury to the fastener strips, a yielding connection is provided between the slide 76 and the actuating link 96 which comprises a compression spring 106 which is seated in a recess 108 in the bracket 80 and bears against the rear end of the slide 7 6 to hold the slide in operating engagement with the link 96.

v The machine shown is designed to insert individual lacings in any number of pairs of eyelets up to six and is accordingly pro- 7 vided vwith a gang of six lace inserting units which are arranged side by slde and are so mounted that they may be adjusted laterally v with relation to each other to suit the spacing of the eyelets in the shoe upper in which the lacings are to be inserted. vEach unit comprises'the supporting block 35 in which is mounted a carrier 112 for the spindle 20 and a fastener inserting unit as above de scribed. The block at the left hand end of the group is secured in position against movement. The remaining five blocks are adapted to slide on the guideway 116'and are moved with relation to each other to narrow or widen the distance between the blocks by means of a system of lazy tongs which comprises the links 118 which-are arranged in pairs loosely pivoted at their centers and at their ends loosely pivoted to slide in guideways'120 formed on opposite ends of adjacent blocks 35. It will be readily seen that as the block. at the right hand end of the series is moved in either direction along the guideway'116, thelazy tongs all automatically act to preserve an equal spacing between the blocks as they are moved towards or away from each other. The spacing of the spindles may be readily adjusted to suit the spacing of the eyelets in the shoe upper in which the lacings are to be inserted by means of a hand lever 1.22 which'is mounted on the front'of the machine on one end of a rock shaft 124. At its rear end the rock shaft is provided with a pinion 126 which meshes with a rack 128 formed in the underside of a. slide bar 130 to which the right hand block 35 is connected by a pivot 131.

Each spindle carrier 112' is in the form of a tube mounted to reciprocate in the corresponding block 35 and to the front end of which is screwed the hollow spindle 20. The tube is provided with a cord tensioning spring 132 which is mounted on the rear end of thecarrier 112 and has its free end ar- 142 which are carried on the pivot shaft 144 a and are actuated by a cam lever 146 which carries a cam roll 148 and is actuated by means of a cam on the cam shaft 94. i

,The bars 36 carrying the fastener inserting heads 38 are actuated simultaneously in timed relation to the other parts of the machine through connections which comprise brackets 152 which are formed on the under sides of the bars 36 and through which is journaled a rod 154. i The rod 154 is c'onnected at each end by links 156 to identical sell crank cam levers 158 which carry on their free arms cam rolls 160 adapted to engage with cams carried on the cam shaft 94. The bars'44 are similarly operatedto advance the hammers to clinch the fasteners through mechanism which comprises a rod 162 journaled in corresponding brackets 164 formed on the bars 44. The ends of the bar are connected by links 166 to corresponding bell crank levers 168 which are loosely mounted on the pivot shaft 169 and are actuated. by cams onthe cam shaft 94. The bars 68 which carry the knives 66 for severing fasteners from the strips are similarly actuated by means of a rod 170 which is journaled through brackets 172 formed on the rear ends of the bars 68. The ends of the rod are connected by links 178 to the corresponding bell crank levers 174 which are pivotally mounted on the pivot shaft 169 and are actuated by acam on the cam shaft 94.

The upper aw 22 of'the outer cord gripper is formed by the lower endges of two parallel plates 178 which are supported with relation to each other by means of two verti'cally situated blocks 180 and are held together by means of screws 182. Thelower jaw 24 comprises a bar which is formed on the lower end of the slide 184, mounted be tween the plates 178 and is provided with slots 186 to permit movement of the slide vertically with relation to the blocks 180 and the plates 178. j

The upper jaw 26 of the inner cord gripper and cord severing device is similarly formed by means of the two plates 188 and 189 which are mounted on each side of the blocks 190 and are held together by means of the screws 192. The lower jaw 28 comprises a transverse bar formed on the lowerside of the plate 194 and cooperates with a knife edge 30 formed on the lower edge of the plate 189 to sever the cords and acts in conjunction with the plate 188 to grip the severed ends. In order to permit the outer cord gripper to he moved downwardly and outwardly into position to take the ends of the cords from the spindles, the outer plate 178 is secured to a rock shaft 196 which is pivotally mounted at each end in identical lever arms 198 which are secured to a sleeve on the pivot shaft 209. 7 An arm 201 on the sleeve is connected by a link 202 to the bell crank cam lover 204 which is loosely mounted on the shaft 206 and also carries the cam roll 208 to engage with a cam on the cam shaft 94. The rock shaft 196 is rotated to swing the outer cord grippers outwardly by means of a short lever arm 210 which is connected at one end of a link 212. At its other end-the link is connected to one arm of the cam lever 214 loosely mounted on the pivot shaft 206 which also carries the camroll 21 6 adapted to engage with a cam formed on the cam shaft 94. The plate 184 which carries the lower gripper jaw 24 is moved with relation to the upper jaw 22 to clamp the thread through connections which comprise the short links 218 pivotally secured at each end of the plate and to the corresponding levers 220 secured to the pivot shaft 222. A rearwardly extending portion of one of the levers 220 is connected' by means of the link 224 to the corresponding camlever 226 which is loosely mounted on the pivot shaft 90 and is actuated by a cam on the cam shaft 94.

The upper andlower jaws of the inner cord gripper and cord severing device are similarly operated through connections from a cam on the main cam shaft 94. The upper jaw 26 comprising'the two plates 188 and 189is mounted to slide in ways formed on a fixed bracket 22? and is actuated through the levers mounted on the machine frame, the link and the corresponding cam lever 231 mounted on the rock shaft 90. The lower jaw 28 of the inner cord gripper is actuated from a cam on the cam shaft94 through connections which include the levers 233 mounted on a sleeve and connected at their free ends to the plate 19 forming the lower gripper by means of the links 2 35. A lever arm 237 also mounted on the sleeve connected through a link 239 to a. cam lever 241 loosely mounted on the rock shaft 90.

The work is held in position in the machine by means of the work holder plate 32 and the cooperating spring clamps 34 which are adapted to swing down into clamping position to hold the work securely against the work holder or plate 32. The work holder plate 32 is supported at each end on the rods 230 which are ournaled in guideways 232-to slide vertically in the machine so that the work may be readily raised or lowered to determine the lengths of thelacings passing up from the eyelets to the point where the fasteners are applied to fasten together the ends of the cords. As shown, the plate 82 is provided at 1ts left hand end wlth a rearwardly extending pivot shaft 234 which is journaled in a bearing 236 formed on the upper endof one of the slide rods 280 and at the other end with a horizontally situated rod 288 which is journaled to permit cndwisc movement with relation to a bearing shaft 240 which in turn journaled in a. bearing 242 formed in the upper end of the right hand slide rod 289. Vith this arrangement of the parts, the slide rods 230 may he moved independen-tly to varythe distance which each end of the plate 32 is raised or lowered and thus to vary the length of the lacino's formed either to secure a uniform length or lacing or to vary the length of laclng to gradually increase the space between the edges of the quarters when the shoe 1s lasted. The plate 32 is further supported by the engagement of of the eyelets.

the lower portion of the plate with the end of the rock shaft which carries the cam lever for adjusting the spindles to suit the spacing Each of the slide rods 230 is connected at its lower end by means of a link 248 to one arm of a cam lever 250 which is loosely mounted on a pivot shaft 252 and'is actuated by means of a cam on the cam shaft 94. In order to vary the throw of the slide rods 230 and thus to vary the length of the lacings produced by the machine, each cam lever 250 is provided with a slot 254 to permit the adjustment of the lower ends of the links 248 towards or away from the pivot 252 and thus to vary the throw of the slide rods 230. I

In order to permit the work to be clamped readily to the work supporting plate 32 upon starting the machine and then to be automatically released at the end of the cycle of operations, the clamps 34 are mounted on a rock shaft 256 which is provided at each end with a reduced portion 258 which is journaled in bearings 260 in the upper ends of the arms 262 formed 011 the work plate 32. A pinion 264 is secured to the reduced portion 258 at each end of the rock shaft 256 and is adapted to engage with a rack 266 slidably mounted in the corresponding arm 262. A small spring 268 connected at one end to the arm 262 and at the other end to the rack 266 tends to rotate the rock shaft 256 to raise the clamps 34 out of contact with the work. The mechanism for rotating the rock shaft 256 in a direction to cause the clamps 84 to clamp the work in position on the work supporting plate 32 comprises the levers 270 which are loosely mounted on the shaft 200 and are adapted to engage the rear end of the racks 266. p The free arm of the lever is connected by means of a link 272 to one arm of a bell crank cam lever 274 which is actuated by means of a cam on the cam shaft 94. The racks 266 are held in the positions to which they are advanced by the levers 27 O to clamp the work against the work supporting plate 32 against the pressure of the spring clamps 34 and the tension springs 268 by means of latch levers 276 which are mounted on the arms 262 and are adapted to engage in corresponding recesses 278 in the racks 266. The latch levers 276 are'disengaged to permit the clamps 34 to return to their raised position at the end of the cycle of operations by the engagement of a hook 280 formed on each lever 270 with a corresponding projection 282 on the latch levers 276.

The invention having been thus described, what is claimed is:

1. A lacing machine having, in combina tion, means for passing lacing cords through a plurality of pairs of eyelets, and means for applying fasteners to the cords to form a plurality of individual lacings and adjustable means for controlling the length of the lacent spacing of eyelets, each comprising means '7( for passinga lacing cord through a pair of eyelets and for applying a separate fastener to the cord to form a lacing.

3. A lacing machine having, in combination, a plurality of uniformly spaced units, each comprising a cord carrying spindle and device for applying a separate fastener to the cord, and means for uniformly varying the spacing between the units.

4. A lacing machine having, in combination, a plurality of lace inserting devices for passing lacing cords through a plurality of pairs of eyelets and for applying fasteners to the cords to form individual lacings connecting the difierent pairs of eyelets, and means for varying the length of the lacings to vary the amount of separation between the eyelets of each pair.

5. A lacing machine having, in combination, a series of cord carrying spindles, a gripper for seizing the ends of the cords passed through the work by the spindles, means for withdrawingthe spindles, a work holder for thereafter positioning the work with relation to thespindles, and means for severing and applying fasteners to the cord to form lacings.

6. A lacing machine having, in combination, a series of cord carrying spindles, means for seizing the cord ends passed through the work by the spindlesand for withdrawing the spindles, and means for bringing together and applying'fasteners to fasten together the strands of each cord which lead from the op posite sides of the work. I

7. A lacing machine having, in combination, a series of cord carrying spindles adapted to pass through a series of eyelets, means for seizing the cord ends passed through the eyelets, means for withdrawing the spindles, and means for severing the cords to leave a length of cord through each pair of eyelets and for applying fasteners to fasten together the cord ends. I

8. A lacing machine for lacing shoe uppers having, in combination, means for passing cords through a plurality of pairs of eyelets, gripper devices for'bringing together portions of the cords from each side of the eyelets, a fastener applying head corresponding to each pair of eyelets recessed toreceive the cords, an anvil formed in the recessed portion of the head, means for feeding a fastener strip into position in the head, means for severing the fasteners from the strip, and a hammer cooperating with the anvil to clinch a fastener around the cords the said hammer and anvil being arranged to operate in a plane transverse to the line of eyelets;

9. A lacing machinehaving, in combination, means for passing a cord through a pair of eyelets, gripper devices for bringing together portions of the cord from each side of the eyelets, a. fastener applying head comprising an anvil, a hammer cooperating therewith to clinch a fastener around the cord, a.

feed plate, a carriage on which the feed plate is mounted to slide rotatable about a fixed axis, means for imparting to the feed plate sliding movements into and out of contact with the fastener strip, and means for imparting rocking movements to the carriage to im Jart to the feed plate movements in a direction to feed the fastener strip.

10. A lacing machine having, in combination, means for passing a cord through a pair of eyelets, means for bringing together portions of the cord from each side of the eyelets, a fastener applying head comprising an anvil, a hammer for clinching a fastener around the cords, and a member for bending a portion of the fastener to clinch the cords at an angle to the remainder of the fastener.

11. A lacing machine having, in combination, means for passing a cord through a pair of eyelets, means for bringing together portions of the cord from each side of the eyelets, means for clinching a fastener around the cords, and means for bending a portion of the fastener to glinch the cords at an angle to the remainder of the fastener.

12. A lacing machine having, in combination, means for passing a cord through a pair of eyelets. means for bringing together portions of the cord from each side of the eyelets, a fastener applying head recessed to receive the cords, an anvil formed in the recessed portion of the head, means for feeding a fastener strip into position in the head, a hammer cooperating with the anvil to clinch a fastener around the cords, and a member for severing a fastener from the strip and for bending a portion of the fastener to clinch the cords at an angle to the remainder of the fastener.

13. A lacing machine having, in combination, meansfor passing a. cord through a pair of eyelets, means for bringing together portions of the cord from each side of the .eyelets, a fastener applying head comprising an anvil. a hammer for clinching a fastener around the cords, and a member having a knife edge to sever fastener from the strip, and a recessed portion for bending a portion of the fastener to clinch the cords at an angle tothe remainder of the fastener.

14 A lacing machine having, in combination, means for passing lacing cords through a plurality of pairs of eyelets, means for bringing together and fastening portions of the cord from each side of the eyelets, a work holder plate on which the work is supported, a series of spring clamps for clamping the work in position on the plate, and means rendered operative at the beginning and at the end of the lacing operation to move the spring clamps into and out of clamping position.

15. A lacing machine having, in combination, means for passing lacing cords through a plurality of pairs of eyelets, a work holder plate on which the work is supported, a series of spring clamps for clamping the work in position on the plate, a rock shaft mounted on the work supporting plate to which the spring clamps are secured and means for rotating the rock shaft to move the spring clamps into and out of clamping position. w

16. A lacing machine having, in combination, a series of cord carrying spindles, means for advancing and retracting the spindles, a gripper device rendered operative to seize the ends of the cords passed through the work by the spindles, a gripper device to seize the opposite ends of the cords severed fl in the supply, and means for applying fasteners to fasten together the cord ends.

17. A lacing machine having, in combination, a series of cord carrying spindles, means for advancing and retracting the spindles, a gripper device rendered operative to seize the ends of the cords passed through the work by the spindles, a gripper device to seize the opposite ends of the cords severed from the supply, mechanism for applying fasteners to fasten together the cord ends, and actuating means for the said gripper devices to position the cord ends to be operated upon by the said fastener applying mechanisms.

18. A lacing machine having, in combination, a series of cord carrying spindles, means for advancing and retractin the spindles, a gripper device comprising two jaws adapted to seize simultaneously the ends of the several cords passed through the work by the spindles, a gripper device comprising two jaws adapt-ed to seize the opposite ends of the cords severed from the supply, and means for applying fasteners to fasten together the cord ends.

19. A lacing machine having, in combination, a series of cord carrying spindles, means for advancing and retracting the spindles, a grip 'ierdevice comprising two jaws adapted to seize simultaneously the ends of the several cords passed through the work by the spindles, a gripper device comprising a knife edge and two jaws to sever the cords from the supply and to grip the severed ends, means for actuating the gripper devices to bring together the ends of each cord, and means for applying fasteners to fasten together the cord ends.

20. A lacing machine havin in combination, a spindle over which a pair of eyelets is placed in superimposed relation. means for clamping the work with the eyelets in superimposed relation. gripping devices for seizing portions of the lacing cord passed through the eyelets on each side of the eyelets movable relatively to the said work clamping means to bring the cords together, and mea s for placing a fastener around the cords to form the lacing.

21. A lacing machine having, in combination, means for passing a cord through a pair of eyelets, gripper devices for bringing together portions of the cord from each side of the eyelets, a fastener applying head recessed to receive the cores, an anvil formed in the recessed portion of the head, a member movable to closethe recess during the clinching operation, and a hammer cooperating with the anvil and said member to clinch a fastener around the cords.

2-2. A lacing machine having, in combination, means for i ;assing a cord througha pair of eyelets, gripper devices for bringing together portions of the cord from each side of the eyelets a fastener applying head 1novable relatively to the strands of the lacing card into engagement therewith and provided with a recess toreceive the cords, and a cam surface for driving the cords into the recess. an anvil formed in the recessed portion of the head, and a hammer cooperating with the anvil to clinch a fastener around the cords.

23. A lacing machine having, in combination, means for passing a cord through a pair of eyelets in a shoe upper, means for feeding a. strip of metallic fasteners into the machine, means for applying a fastener to the cord, and means for bringing the ends of the cord together and. locating two portions only of the cord in position to be secured together by the fastener to form a. single lacing loop.

24. A lacing machine having, in combination, means for passing a cord through a pair of eyelets in a shoe upper, means for applying a metallic fastener to the cord, and

means for bringing the ends of the cord to gether and locating two portions only of the cord in position to be secured together'by the fastener to form a lacing loop.

25. A lacing machine having, in combina tion, means for passing a cord through a pair of eyelets in a. shoe upper, gripping devices, means for actuating said devices to grip the end portions of the cord on each side of the shoe upper and move said end portions only into position to receive a fastener, and means for applying a metallic fastener to the end portions of the cord to form a lacing loop.

26. A lacing machine having, in combination, a plurality of lace inserting means for passing lacing cords through a plurality of pairs of eyelets in a shoe upper, said lace inserting means having a spaced relationship corresponding to the spacing of the eyelets, and a plurality of fastener applying means correspondingly spaced for applying metallic fasteners to the end portions only of the cords to form a series of lacing loops.

27. A lacing machine having, in combina tion, cord carrying spindles in spaced relationship for passing lacing cords through a plurality of pairs of eyelets in a shoe upper, means for feeding aseries of metallic fasteners into the machine to cooperate \vith'each spindle, and a plurality of fastener applying means correspondingly spaced for applying a fastener to the two end portions only of each cord to form a plurality of individual lacing loops.

28. A lacing machine for lacing shoe uppers having, in combination, means for passing a series of cords through a plurality of pairs of eyelets in a shoe upper, devices for bringing together the end portions of each cord, a series of fastener applying heads corresponding in number to the cords and each being recessed to receive the end portions of a cord, an anvil formed in the recess-ed portion of each head, and a hammercooperating with each anvil to clinch a fastener around the ends of a cord.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HARRY D. ELLIOTT. 

